AI Dependency and the Standardization of Literary Interpretation: A Study on Students’ Responses to “Cat in the Rain” by Ernest Hemingway

Abstract

The widespread use of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education has raised concerns about a decline in students’ critical thinking skills and interpretive independence when studying English literature. This qualitative case study investigates the impact of reliance on AI on the standardization of literary interpretation among selected fourth-semester English majors at Untag Semarang, Indonesia. Data from the AI Dependency Questionnaire and independent analyses of Ernest Hemingway’s work titled “Cat in the Rain” were analyzed thematically (Braun & Clarke, 2006), using a distributed cognition framework (Vygotsky, 1978), reader-response theory (Rosenblatt, 1978), and the theory of intentionality (Wimsatt & Beardsley, 1946). The findings reveal a paradox of trust: 75% of students expressed interpretive confidence yet doubted accuracy without AI validation. Thematic analysis revealed deep readings (the protagonist’s longing as emotional isolation) diminished by clichéd writing and linguistic ambiguities that imitate the AI’s subtle style. These patterns confirm that AI externalizes cognitive processes, diminishes the autonomy of active readers, and deviates from text-centered principles. This study concludes that reliance on AI promotes uniform literary interpretations. The recommendations proposed include process-oriented assessment, rubrics that value originality, and training in critical literacy regarding AI to preserve interpretive autonomy in literary education for English majors in the digital age.